In the work Invisible Present, Vaasen brings forth new stories andimages from depths of science and history, setting these in relationto the artwork. She is interested in the subjectivity with which thevalue of works of art is determined. Such as political motives andsocietal developments that in the past have influenced the creationof art history.

For the outside world works of art seem to remain unchanged, butevery work contains its own tiny universe of micro-organisms thatlive and develop. Ordinarily remaining unknown and invisible, theirpresence sometimes produces observable effects—some rustydiscoloration, a musty smell, or crackle in paint. By amplifying thepresence of the micro-organisms of the artwork, Vaassen makespalpable the external reality which we usually laminate with imagesand stories, limiting the world in the act of giving it internalmeaning.